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  48 UPSIDE-DOWN STARS IN STAGGERED ROWS, BRIGHT BLUE CANTON, 1913 OR PRIOR

Available: Sold
Frame Size (H x L): 19" x 28"
Flag Size (H x L): 12" x 22"
Description....:
48 UPSIDE-DOWN STARS IN STAGGERED ROWS, BRIGHT BLUE CANTON, 1913 OR PRIOR:

48 star American parade flag, printed on oilcloth cotton, with a brilliant, cornflower blue canton. Note how the stars are upside-down in their vertical alignment, arranged in offset rows. This did not conform to President Taft?s executive order of 1912, which dictated, for the first time ever, an official design for the stars on the American flag. It stated that there were to be 6 justified rows of 8 stars with all points upward.

Taft's order seems to not have had an affect on most parade flag-makers until after 1913. Some manufacturers had actually begun to make 48 star flags long before the 48th state was actually added. I have seen 48 star parade flags with overprinted or handwritten dates as early as 1896, 16 years prior to the addition of Arizona. All of the dated examples I have seen prior to 1912 have had this offset row pattern with all-points upward. But some undated examples have other unique traits, such as the upside-down stars of this flag and it's rather elongated proportions. It is safe to assume that this rare design dates prior to 1912. I know of only 4 flags like it to exist. Three of these were found in a shop on Nantucket Island.

No one knows if the upside-down positioning had any purpose, but it is possible that the maker of this flag did not feel that any star position was "right-side-up". The designer may have simply liked the look of the stars with two-arms-up instead of one. In any event, this was not the norm.

At least 5 others unique star designs are known to exist in 48 star parade flags. One silk design has justified rows, but its stars all tilt in the 1:00 position. Another silk variety has rather fat stars that vary from row-to-row, tilting in either the 1:00 or the 11:00 position. One cotton variety has unusually large, pointy stars that alternate point-up, point-down throughout the field. A fifth variation, known as the Whipple pattern, has an elaborate medallion pattern with a 6-pointed great star in its center. And the 6th, recently discovered, has a triple-wreath medallion star configuration.

Mounting: The flag has been stitched to 100% cotton rag mat and placed in a black painted walnut frame with a gilded liner that dates to the 1860-1880 period. Spacers keep the textile away from the glass, which is u.v. protective.
Collector Level: Beginners and Holiday Gift Giving
Flag Type: Parade flag
Star Count: 48
Earliest Date of Origin: pre-1912
Latest Date of Origin: 1913
State/Affiliation: Arizona
War Association: WW 2
Price: SOLD
 

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